STATISTICS

Start Year: 1995
Current Year: 2006

Month: May

2 Weeks is 1 Month
Next Month: 06/04/2025

OUR STAFF

Administration Team

Administrators are in-charge of the forums overall, ensuring it remains updated, fresh and constantly growing.

Administrator: Jamie
Administrator: Hollie

Community Support

Moderators support the Administration Team, assisting with a variety of tasks whilst remaining a liason, a link between Roleplayers and the Staff Team.

Moderator: Connor
Moderator: Odinson
Moderator: ManBear


Have a Question?
Open a Support Ticket

AFFILIATIONS

RPG-D

2007 Thai General Election

Bossza007

I am From Thailand
GA Member
May 4, 2021
3,322
2299px-Logo_of_the_Election_Commission_of_Thailand.svg.png


Preparation​

The Socialist Republic of Thailand Election Commission (ECT) met its democratically chosen authorities on the 12th of May 2006 and set a master plan to commence making arrangements for the 2007 Thai General Election cycle. To ensure the election was free, fair, open, and genuinely participatory, the coordination bureau conducted a series of inquiries and collated ample information from provincial, district, and subdistrict election committees across the country. The ECT coordinated a steady stream of information upwards from each of the 75,086 Community Assemblies since it has been the confederal-level election coordinating forum. The information that was solicited included specific problems, resource deficits, committee capability, and the particular support that the confederal forum was in a position to provide.

The legal affairs bureau studied in detail the existing legal provisions and intercommunal agreements in the 2003 Thai Constitution. The outcome of this exercise was that the bureau established what needed to be clarified or modified, including PR list distribution, election finance laws of the cooperative economy, laws on electronic voting, timelines for dispute resolution, and coordinated but different roles of the national EC and the provincial/local committees. In essence, community assemblies and provincial governments could maintain the right, as constitutionally set, to either accept or decline suggested changes in existing agreements, as the ECT was not necessarily entitled to the same.

The ECT led a comprehensive analysis of the most recent general election because it recognized that rigorous self-reflection was an essential part of the dynamic development of Thai Socialist Participatory Democracy. The ethic of continuous improvement required that every element be thoroughly analyzed, from reports and sanitized data to the complex technical performance record of the digital democracy platform.

Above all else, it used open lines of communication, open forums of opinion for the masses, and critical analysis by actual socialist organizations. Again, ECT went all out to have the voting mechanism increase turnout figures, obviously represent the dictate of equality, be transparent every step of the way naturally, and, courtesy of technology, actually work toward collective empowerment. This was an important reiteration of the basic principles on which the Socialist Republic had been established, not a matter of style.

Therefore, in May 2006, the Election Commission began this first critical phase with preliminary plans and estimates, as well as a reaffirmation of its profound mandate. More than merely formalities, the meticulous collection of data from every Community Assembly, the critical analysis of confederal agreements upholding communal self-determination, and the rigorous self-reflection on prior practices were the realization of socialist participatory democracy. This groundwork, performed under the muted hum of a nation united in common advancement yet sensitive to gathering world economic storm fronts, delineated not only logistic pathways but also re-drew democratic and moral lines that must cross the 2007 election. It was a poignant reminder that, in the Socialist Republic, listening and consulting with the people themselves must be the bedrock of election preparation so that the future remains loyal to the promise of the Revolution.
 

Bossza007

I am From Thailand
GA Member
May 4, 2021
3,322
2003vs2006-Popularity.png


A Shifting Landscape​

The national discourse soon developed after the Election Commission affirmed the 2007 General Election cycle, informed by analysis from various activist networks, independent media cooperatives, and socialist think tanks such as the PDRI. Thailand was not much affected by the 2006 Financial Crisis' aftershocks, which still destabilized Russia and the Gandhi Empire. The solidity of the democratically projected socialist economy was a quiet validation and a shield from the world's turbulence. Commentators penned more or less the same view on both electronic media and scholarly journals: the 2007 election would be concerning the subtle redesigning of priorities, not the fundamental legitimacy of the socialist project itself.

Although the socialist project was the firm ground on which the previous election was contested, this 2007 cycle was to be more sophisticated in debate towards sharpening, refining, and taking the project to the next level. This was reflected in the recent poll. There were minor shifts that had occurred within the People's Front's ruling coalition, although the overall approval of the coalition increased from 66.4% to ear-shattering 70.4%. There was a slight relaxation of the backing for the leading Thai Rak Thai Party, which was best placed to carry out the first consolidation of the revolution. This showed that the voters, confident in the stability of the socialist regime, were now applying reflective consideration to their future path.

The Eco-Socialist Alliance, led by new People's Front general secretary Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, picked up an extra one million voters from the last election, according to the same opinion poll. Analysts interpreted the event as evidence of a changing society that had progressed beyond the immediate post-revolutionary period of consolidation. It was now willing to consider more fundamental, long-term questions of existence in its socialist context. Moreover, the dramatic rise of the Libertarian Socialist Front demonstrated that there was growing interest in the fundamental principles of Thai Socialism, namely its insurgent decentralist and participatory democratic principles, among the masses. However, the Feminist Socialist Coalition's small gain was an indication of the ongoing, if incremental, mainstreaming of intersectional feminist principles into the wider socialist mainstream.

On the other hand, the opposition bloc suffered a disastrous internal reorganization and lost some ground in general, falling from 33.6% to 29.6%, recent opinion polls indicated. Most significantly, the Democrat Party was the only opposition group enlisting new members, a political trend onlookers considered decisive. Their arrival as the leaders of "accelerated socialism," based on a technologically optimistic worldview, outlined an expanding coalition of voters drawn to a techno-utopian socialist future. This is opposite the precipitous decline in popularity for the Conservative Party, echoing the reduced appetite by the population for opposition built around defending rather than altering the current socialist systems.

The Marxist Unity Party lost popularity as one of the minor parties. Its emphasis on technologically sophisticated central planning and orthodox class analysis was unable to appeal more broadly, even though its adherence to classical Marxist analysis and the theory of "cybernetic socialism" still had a hard core of followers. The Libertarian Socialist Front's exuberant decentralism and the Democrat Party's alluring techno-optimism caused its more cautious approach to appear eclipsed. The Anarcho-Communist Federation itself, though, persisted at the political fringes. The ACF's adamant call for the immediate abolition of all state forms in the name of a gift economy resonated little within the deeply entrenched participatory system of the Republic, no matter how much Thai Socialism's terminal stateless vision of communist society.
 

Bossza007

I am From Thailand
GA Member
May 4, 2021
3,322
cityscape-night-bangkok-thailand-2-upscale.jpg


Economic Platforms​

The eight officially recognized political parties of the National Assembly swiftly took the lead in steering the socialist project’s narrative and direction when the ten months leading up to the 2007 Thai General Election began. Predictably, these organizations determined that the national economy, the foundation of shared prosperity and the center of democratic planning, should take priority over other concerns influencing the people. Both sides rapidly disseminated their election slogans and economic manifestos, which served as the ideological platforms for the elections, to help achieve this goal.

TRT.png

By Surakiart Sathirathai (Incumbent Foreign Minister and Thai Rak Thai’s Leader)​

“Fellow builders of our Socialist Republic, delegates, and comrades!

Together in revolutionary solidarity, the Thai people shed the exploitative yoke and set out on a new road eight years ago. We constructed the pillars of a genuinely participatory socialist democracy under the leadership of our beloved Comrade Thaksin and the Thai Rak Thai Party. We've instituted universal basic services, eliminated poverty, and created an economy resistant to the volatility of capitalist countries. Consolidation of Socialist Democracy, our initial phase, is robust.

We are today at the doorway of the second phase. The objective of this election is to strategically move forward to our communist future by sharpening the instruments of our collective strength, not to overthrow our socialist base.

Our platform is simple: we need to grow incrementally on the tools that have gotten us here. The Labor Token Exchange system is first on the list. Our economic justice is based on the LTE, which guarantees value streams from labor rather than capital. We will invest heavily to make our algorithms even more powerful, adding still more advanced calculations of work's time, talent, and social value that the world needs. To distribute tokens more accurately, effortlessly, and much more fairly, a first step toward the restoration of economic relations, a cutting-edge data infrastructure will be used.

Participatory planning comes in second. Our economic democracy revolves around our planning boards, consumer councils, and worker councils. By using the Prachathipatai Superapp as a tool and a living manifestation of our collective will, we will strengthen these connections, enabling real-time coordination and making sure that planning becomes more attentive to the expressed needs of our communities.

Worker cooperatives come in third. Our socialist economy is based on them. TRT will keep providing focused assistance, promoting creativity, and ensuring that these democratic enterprises remain strong, productive, and in line with our national priorities.

These are not changes for the sake of making changes, comrades. They are incremental advancements. By improving our socialist economy, we use technology to cut down on the amount of time needed for labor, which frees up time for cultural development and the expansion of our shared socialist consciousness. TRT offers the steady hand and seasoned direction to practically guide us along this path, establishing the strong social and material foundations that will eventually lead to the state's eventual decline and the realization of total communism.

We oppose complacent conservatism and adventuristic recklessness. We support Thai Socialism's cautious, democratic evolution. Join us, comrades! Let's hone our instruments, bolster our determination, and march resolutely into the next phase of our collective emancipation! Communism is our future!"

ESA.png

By Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Leader of the Eco-Socialist Alliance (Incumbet Industry Minister and People’s Front’s General Secretary)​

"Comrades!

As evidence of the effectiveness of socialist participatory democracy, we are standing here today on the solid foundations established by our Revolution. In contrast to the global capitalist mess, we have established the power of our decentralized, planned economy, eradicated poverty, and provided universal basic services. Our socialist future has been assured during the period of consolidation under Sahai Thaksin and the TRT. But we have to aim higher, comrades! We must examine the quality of our future critically as we move toward communism.

The next significant step in our revolutionary journey is ecological, not administrative or technological. In addition to social harmony, true communism, the classless, stateless society we seek, is about harmony between people and the natural world. It serves as the cornerstone of our existence. Even though our current economic systems are revolutionary, they do not yet fully capture this important reality.

To move on to Stage Three, the Evolution of Social Consciousness, and Stage Seven, Full Communism, the Eco-Socialist Alliance suggests a crucial revision. Our socialist economy needs to be woven with ecological reality.

We have to convert our Labor Token Exchange first. When we harm the ecosystem humanity depends on, value cannot be measured in terms of labor hours. We suggest an Ecological LTE Valuation in which the labor token value of all goods and services is adjusted to account for the ecological cost, such as pollution and resource consumption. In our system, sustainable production makes financial sense in addition to being morally right.

Second, we must stay within ecologically determined boundaries when it comes to our democratic planning. We are dedicated to defining precise limits on emissions and resource use that are based on our bioregions' carrying capacities, as established by scientific analysis and community assembly consensus. Within these global boundaries, where qualitative advancement takes precedence over unchecked quantitative growth, economic development must strive for social welfare.

Third, we need to make strategic investments in Green Cooperatives, which are at the forefront of sustainable food, renewable energy, circular production, and ecosystem restoration. To fully decentralize environmental protection, we must grant Community Assemblies greater control over their local environments.

This is the only way to reach communism, comrades, and it is not a side trip. A truly socialist consciousness that recognizes interdependence emerges more confidently when ecology is incorporated into our economy. In order to prevent achieving abundance at the expense of the environment, it guarantees that the post-scarcity society we create is sustainable. Comrades, let's move forward to create an economy that not only shows the worth of life but also the worth of our labor. To the communist horizon, let us construct an eco-socialist future! Thank you."

LSF.png

By Korn Chatikavanij (Incumbent Finance Minister and Libertarian Socialist Front’s Leader)​

“Comrades, Liberation Architects!

It has been eight years since the chains of exploitation were broken by our collective will. Our Socialist Republic was founded on the foundation of our Revolution—the sovereign power of the united people in their communes—rather than on a remote authority. As your national coordinator for economic facilitation, I have witnessed the resilience and strength of the socialist economy we have created together, one that protects us from the global capitalist chaos. Poverty has been eradicated, universal services have been established, and the Thai Rak Thai party has accompanied us through the crucial first stage, the Consolidation of Socialist Democracy.

However, comrades, consolidation is the means, not the end! This election is about how to fundamentally move toward true communist liberty, not how to improve the tools we currently employ. While other voices discuss honing these centralizing tools, the Libertarian Socialist Front declares that the next significant step, which is necessary to get to the next steps in our communist theory of transition, is letting loose the base rather than sharpening the superstructure!

Our 75,086 autonomous Community Assemblies and our worker cooperatives, which make their own decisions, have always been the source of actual power, the lifeblood and sinew of Thai Socialism. This reality needs to be reflected in our economic institutions. These component units need to be strengthened so they have greater authority over resource allocation and planning. Instead of acting as a dictator from above, let the National Economic Planning Board do what its name suggests: assist communities in voluntarily coordinating.

We envision a dense, networked socialism in which cooperatives interact with one another directly and use our common digital infrastructure, such as the Prachathipatai Superapp, to enable peer-to-peer exchange and coordination rather than top-down management. Let us have faith in our communes to try and come up with economic strategies appropriate to their particular local contexts, creating a rich socialist practice ecosystem.

The path towards the Withering Away of the State, my comrades. There is no need for centralized control, but it becomes increasingly unnecessary as healthy, empowered, self-governing workplaces and communities are established. This is how we take Stage Three, the Evolution of Social Consciousness, up a notch by living daily self-management and economic democracy rather than passive obedience.

Don't stop there for aesthetics. Demand revolutionary empowerment! Take the road that upends the existing order and puts the people at the bottom in control of their economic destiny. Let's advance to the next, irreversible step towards a truly free, self-determined, communist future by voting for the Libertarian Socialist Front!”

FSC.png

By Pannika Wanich (Incumbent Education Minister and Feminist Socialist Coalition’s Leader)​

“Comrades, fellow revolutionaries!

As the descendants of a revolution that swept away the decay of capitalism and the shadows of monarchy, we come together today, eight years later, in our Socialist Republic. In the Consolidation of Socialist Democracy, Comrade Thaksin and the TRT established strong foundations upon which we now stand. Our participatory system is thriving, universal services are a reality, and poverty is a thing of the past. But there is no mere arrival of consolidation, comrades! The take-off is it. This election, we must ask: What is the real pathway to communism?

Other voices discuss speeding up technology, greening production, decentralizing institutions, and upgrading tools. All of these are discussions we must have. But the Feminist Socialist Coalition asks if we can reach Stage Seven, Full Communism, or Stage Three, the Evolution of Social Consciousness, if our economic foundation ignores the work that reproduces society.

For all its revolutionary character, our Labor Token Exchange is unfinished. It appropriately glorifies the factory, the farm, and the lab. But what of the labor that makes and remakes the workers? The basis of social reproduction is the raising of children, care for our elderly, the maintenance of our homes, and the emotional labor that energy brings to our communities. They are primarily performed by women but are systematically undervalued in our present calculations of the quantity of time that is socially needed for work.

We must correct this if we are to undergo Phase Four, the true transformation of economic relations. We call for a thorough reconsideration of care labor within the LTE framework. Allow tokens to honor the immense social worth of providing care, healing, and sustaining life! Mechanize production, yes, and socialize care by providing more high-quality cooperative child and elder care, freeing up all of our comrades—men and women alike—to fully participate in our assemblies and cooperatives.

Additionally, we must turn participatory budgeting into intersectional budgeting. In order to actively eliminate economic inequality and empower women in our socialist economy, we call for direct gender analysis at all levels.

A communism based on the unseen, underappreciated labor of half its members is not communism at all, comrades. Emancipation is not complete. We must acknowledge and value every contribution if we are to move toward a society that is genuinely classless, stateless, and characterized by genuine human flourishing. Let's base the next phase on holistic justice rather than just efficiency or decentralization. For a liberation revolution for everyone, for a compassionate economy! Cast your ballot for FSC! Let us look forward to a communist future that is truly intersectional!”

DP.png

By Abhisit Vejjajiva, Facilitator of Diverse Perspectives (Leader of the Opposition)​

Comrades, Digital Dawn Citizens!

We have complete faith in the foundations of the Revolution as we stand here today, eight years into our Socialist Republic. The disarray that looms over capitalist nations has been avoided, basic necessities have been met, and the unity of our people has been reinforced. It was inevitable that others would lead early consolidation. However, comrades, need is a starting point rather than a destination! This election is about using the tools of the future to speed up our journey toward full communism, not about perfecting the tools of the past!

Our economic platform is straightforward: let technology be the great liberator. We call for a massive, coordinated national push toward advanced automation across all cooperative sectors. This is not about replacing workers; rather, it is about eliminating drudgery altogether and drastically cutting down on socially necessary labor time, which would complete Stage Two of our communist revolution and free up all citizens for personal development, community service, and creative endeavors.

Let's use AI's potential to not only analyze but also to hyper-optimally distribute democratic resources with lightning speed and efficiency, more than human deliberations can handle in terms of volume and velocity, while always staying true to our values. Let's establish our Digital Commons, turning our highly developed manufacturing regions into peer-to-peer, open-source production hubs where cooperative innovation can flourish without being constrained by unduly onerous regulations.

And lastly, comrades, we need to examine the Labor Token Exchange critically. The LTE must change as automation eliminates the need for large amounts of labor. In the direction of allocating the results of our collective automated labor based on need and citizenship, we suggest investigating mechanisms that start to decouple distribution from hours of direct labor worked. This is a clear step towards Stage Six, Post-Scarcity, and the communist idea of "to each according to their needs.

Others counsel gradual measures. We say the future demands a leap! Let us not be afraid of our strength, our ingenuity. Let us use the digital muscles of the Prachathipatai Superapp and the computational might of the People's Data Center Network not just to manage socialism, but to propel us beyond it. Vote Democrat! Vote Accelerated Socialism! Let us create abundance, defeat scarcity, and bring the horizon of Full Communism into our present lives! Thank you!"

CP.png

By Nattakorn Devakula, Leader of the Conservative Party​

"Comrades,

Eight years ago, we began our Socialist Republic, and we remain very solid on what we have achieved together. We have a working Socialist Republic model here in Thailand that manifests the solidity and solidarity of our participatory socialism as the world capitalist order flounders in crises. We created an economy of the people and by the people, eliminated poverty, and guaranteed prosperity for all. The attainment of the first consolidation, an important step towards our objective, is testament to the goodness of our decision.

And therefore there are those voices demanding drastic change, untested sudden change, and complete reorganizations of our visions of a communist future. They use the language of leaps and bounds. But the Conservative Party inquires: do we sensibly reinforce the foundations which have worked so well for us, or do we risk the hard-won fruits of our Revolution on promises of the new?

This election is an election of enrichment, not of deconstruction. The defense of the very instruments of our prosperity is the linchpin of our economic policy. We must preserve our Labor Token Exchange mechanism, the very cornerstone of our economic conscience. We are in favor of maintaining its stability, realizing its maximum efficacy by prudent sophistication, and protection from constant threats of violation by market madness, but not of extreme re-appraisal or dangerous disconnection. Instead of throwing away this tool, we need to make it more sophisticated.

Our participatory planning institutions are the economic democracy's nervous system, a delicate balance between Community Assemblies, worker councils, consumer councils, and planning boards. We resist efforts to do away with or hijack them for supposedly centralized or untested automated ones. Rather, we think such tested democratic pipelines must be undergirded with more extensive debate, information integration, and ongoing accountability under the reliable vehicle.

We need to strengthen and empower worker cooperatives, the impenetrable pillars of our shared prosperity. We will concentrate our efforts on these tried and tested economic pillars, making them rock-solid in the long run and ensuring their continued adherence to the principles of socialist self-management.

Fellow comrades, the best way of reaching the later stages of communism, the Withering Away of the State, the Post-Scarcity and Full Communism, is to evolve and strengthen gradually our present-day socialist democracy and not jump in the dark. Stability, learning, and experience in our socialist working society, and not continually changing chaos, are the causes of the real development of social consciousness.

Let others pursue fleeting promises. The enduring gains of the Revolution are in our hands, conservatives. We provide the firm hand, the high watchfulness, and the unshakeable devotion to the proven path. Let us dig deeper our roots, focus our combined strength, and march firmly and unshakeably forward to communist tomorrow. Vote for conservatism! For the stability, security, and bountiful future of Thai Socialism!"

MUP.png

By Supachai Panitchpakdi, Leader of the Marxist Unity Party​

Comrades, Vanguard of the Proletariat!

The working class in Thailand broke the bonds of feudal reaction and capitalist exploitation eight years ago when they realized their historical destiny as a single, cohesive group. As evidence of our combined strength, we have established a Socialist Republic. Under the early leadership of the Revolution, poverty was eradicated, basic necessities were satisfied, and our participatory democracy served as a buffer against the deteriorating global capitalist system. There is no doubt about the Consolidation of Socialist Democracy, Stage One.

But history doesn't wait, comrades! We have learned from dialectics that contradictions exist within stability itself, necessitating further progress. The revolution's enemy is complacency. The harsh, scientific thinking needed for the next step cannot be replaced by idealistic daydreams, no matter how they are cloaked in ecological innocence or abstract ideas of freedom. This decision is about purposefully implementing the ideas of scientific socialism to move us quickly closer to Full Communism, not about fine-tuning!

The only route through historical materialism is provided by the Marxist Unity Party. Our economic vision is simple: we call it Cybernetic Socialism, and it calls for top-level, scientific planning to control the forces of production. We propose to fully utilize our technological infrastructure, including artificial intelligence (AI), advanced computation, and the People's Data Center Network, not only for data collection but also for the efficient, dynamic, and logical coordination of our entire cooperative economy. By doing this, we firmly break with market anarchy and the constraints of purely local decision-making and scientifically plan and distribute resources in accordance with collective need and objective necessity for the development of our productive forces.

The organized working class is the rightful master of this scientific planning. We demand that the proletariat, the historical class that creates history, be given the final say in formulating the country's economic strategy and that the national Federation of Workers' Councils be empowered. The Labor Token Exchange must remain linked to a precise, scientific measurement of the amount of time required for socially necessary labor, which is equal to the actual material contribution to society.

Comrades, the material prerequisite for navigating the stages of communism is scientific production planning. It enables us to implement the Advanced Automation methodically, cutting down on the amount of labor time required. Instead of utopian fantasies, it produces a new, higher Social Consciousness that is the result of collective control over material reality. A stateless, classless society of "from each according to ability, to each according to need" is made possible by it. It also opens the door to post-scarcity and, ultimately, full communism.

Put aside your idealistic optimism! Forget about prudent conservatism! Learn the science of revolution! Join forces with the Marxist Unity Party for logical planning, proletarian governance, and the expedited, scientific development of our communist future! Onward, comrades!

ACF.png

By Jon Ungphakorn, Leader of the Anarcho-Communist Federation​

They refer to it as an election cycle. They give you the option to choose from a succession of managers of the same, stodgily grinding machine, which they refer to as "socialism." This machine is nevertheless based on computation, contribution bookkeeping, and coordinated direction. They discuss phases, planning board optimization, labor token exchange regulation, and the gradual easing of our transition to a far-off communist future.

The Anarcho-Communist Federation spits on this delusion! We disagree with their phases, their timeline, and their idea of an externally imposed "transition"! Freedom is not something you can plan! The state's demise cannot be planned! The advent of true communism cannot be predicted!

Look around you! They boasted they had ended poverty. They told us technology is prevalent. They recite that needs are met. The material chains of capitalism are broken. So why, comrades, do we persist in measuring our lives in tokens? Why do we surrender our needs to the algorithms of planning boards? Why does a coordinating 'state,' even a participatory one, still intervene between us and our relations? The LTE is not freedom; it is a computational ledger of debt, a sneaky tie binding us to work-as-defined, to value-as-calculated. The planning boards are not collective will; they are bureaucratic bottlenecks, hierarchies masquerading as coordination.

They speak of Stage Four, the Withering Away of Economic Relations, or Stage Five, the Transformation of the State. Lies! These stages are rationales for maintaining power, for delaying the inevitable discovery that we can already live in communism today! The state will not wither while you put it to work managing the economy! Economic relations will not transform while you cling to tokens and measured exchange!

We don't offer a platform under this system; we offer its abolition! We call for the LTE to be torn down now. We call for the abolition of all planning boards. We call for the implementation of the Gift Economy – giving freely our abilities, taking freely on the basis of need, with mediation only through mutual aid and authentic human relationships. Have faith in yourselves, in your communities, in your capacity to freely associate! The Prachathipatai app? Use its means of communication to organize independent networks free from the official ones! The worker cooperatives? Make them true free associations, sharing based on need, not planned control!

This is not a vote we seek. Voting legitimates the cage. This is an invitation to live the revolution today. Practice mutual aid. Freely give. Break from their system of tokens wherever you can. Build the communist future in the streets, in your homes, in your communes, today. Stop waiting for their stages! Seize your freedom! Stop the economic machine!
 

Bossza007

I am From Thailand
GA Member
May 4, 2021
3,322
cityscape-night-bangkok-thailand-2-upscale.jpg


Economic Inquiry #1​

As the 2007 Thai General Election cycle continued, independent news media began proactively interviewing each political party regarding Thai society’s most pressing issues. Among the tableau of various interactions, the Nation digital newspaper had managed to acquire all political parties’ responses to the following question:

“Comrades, the Prachathipatai E-Government Superapp's nationwide launch is celebrated as a significant victory in socialist digital governance, as it integrates LTE management, participatory budgeting, and provides universal access to services. However, data gathered by the Participatory Democracy Research Institute (PDRI) from early usage statistics and reports from grassroots digital literacy programs point to possible emerging problems, including a slight "participation gap" that favors those who are more tech-savvy and worry that the Superapp's seamlessness concentrates interaction through a single, democratic interface.

Given these on-the-ground observations and the significant investments being made to upgrade this digital infrastructure through the People's Data Center Network (PDCN), is our Prachathipatai Superapp, our primary tool for encouraging participatory planning and distribution of LTE, quietly fosters a new digital dependency. Is it possible that this free system is subtly consolidating actual power in the hands of those who develop and oversee its complex algorithms and interfaces, impeding the typical, dispersed evolution of post-LTE customs and the actual "withering away" of administrative forms necessary for Stage Five and beyond?

How will your party make sure that our revolutionary technology reaches everyone equally and dismantles the existing walls, instead of building elaborate new ones?”

TRT.png

By Surakiart Sathirathai (Incumbent Foreign Minister and Thai Rak Thai’s Leader)​

One of the most important aspects of our socialist revolution is the Nation's question: should our instruments continue to be instruments of liberty instead of silent re-centralizations? Since our party was the driving force behind the development of the Prachathipatai Superapp, which was founded on Comrade Thaksin's idea that technology should be used to empower people, we view these "early observations" as helpful insights in the ongoing democratic process of improvement rather than as flaws.

To be clear, a strong PDCN infrastructure and Superapp are not ends in and of themselves. In order to strengthen our socialist democracy (Stage One) and lay the groundwork for high-tech automation (Stage Two), they are extremely powerful tools that can increase mobilization, improve economic coordination based on the LTE, and make universal services available to everyone. The project included significant funding from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and community assemblies for ongoing community-driven digital literacy initiatives, which is the "participation gap" that was previously mentioned. To everyone to whom this belongs: We are steadfast in our resolve to provide everyone with the tools they need to effectively utilize these. It's not a startling problem; rather, it can currently be overcome using bottom-line pedagogy strategies that we approach actively and continuously while adhering to our Sections 35 and 58 of the Constitution.

The organization of Thai Socialism is misunderstood by those who fear interface centralization and presumed developer control (e.g., DTCT or TACIC). First of all, rather than avoiding decentralized institutions like Community Assemblies, worker councils, and consumer councils, Superapp’s interface is designed to direct interaction into them. It increases their impact and reach. Second, DTCT and TACIC are cooperatives in their own right, democratically governed by the Federation of Worker Council Unions, and scrutinized by National Assembly committees. Their code and algorithms are open to inspection in secure settings, subject to audit by the National Audit Office and ethical oversight by the NEOB. Groups are developing technology in an open manner; there is no secret technocracy.

We plan to move forward by further integrating the Superapp with community structures, increasing the number of community-based cooperatives that provide technical support, further integrating multilingual and adaptive interfaces, and increasing the number of direct feedback loops from users to development cooperatives via the Superapp itself.

In order to build the shared capacity and trust that will eventually enable the transcendence of mediated exchange (Stage Four) and administrative systems (Stage Five), we must refine this tool, make it accessible to everyone, and make it completely transparent. TRT provides us with the capable, mature leadership to democratically implement this technological advancement, advancing rather than impeding our progress toward Full Communism while remaining secure against aggression from capitalist nations such as the United States.

ESA.png

By Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Leader of the Eco-Socialist Alliance (Incumbet Industry Minister and People’s Front’s General Secretary)​

We appreciate you bringing up this urgent matter. It touches on the core tenet of the Eco-Socialist Alliance: technology, like all tools, should be used to promote ecological and social freedom. Despite the Prachathipatai Superapp's greatness, focusing solely on its utilitarian maximization without giving it a deeper sense of ecological and social wisdom could lead to the development of complex dependencies that impede the realization of true communist consciousness.

Making the content of participation meaningful is the key to closing the "participation gap," not digital literacy. Any nationwide participation maintains an insufficient model if the Superapp primarily enables participation within an economic paradigm (LTE, planning) that does not, by itself, account for ecological costs. The Superapp must become an eco-social wake-up tool with our own suggested Ecological LTE Valuation, which determines token value based on work and environmental impact, on data collected by the Green Thailand Council, and on sensors under the PDCN's control. People are inherently ecological planners as they use the app to see the genuine cost of goods.

Regarding developer dominance and centralization, DTCT and TACIC are cooperatives, but the frameworks they work with are so complex that information asymmetries are a possibility. Ecological anchoring and radical transparency are our alternatives. To ensure that everyone is aware of the ecological effects of planning decisions, we are persuaded to feed in real-time environmental impact streams straight into the Superapp's public dashboards. In order to ensure that AI improves planetary health rather than just efficiency, we also suggest requiring "Ecological Impact Audits" on all significant algorithm updates, conducted by unbiased organizations with community representatives and Green Thailand Council specialists.

Decentralized ecological action should also be facilitated by the Superapp. We observe modules that enhance grassroots ecological governance by enabling communities to manage shared resources (such as water networks enhanced after 2002, particularly in Esan), monitor local biodiversity, and coordinate bioregional environmental efforts via the app, all of which are modeled after the sustainable models of our Regional Agri-Tech Centers.

Using technology to break down barriers means bringing us closer to the earth as well as to one another. The ESA transforms the Superapp into a potent instrument that advances us toward a sustainable, just, and genuinely communist future, where humans and nature coexist peacefully, by introducing ecological intelligence and radical transparency.

LSF.png

By Korn Chatikavanij (Incumbent Finance Minister and Libertarian Socialist Front’s Leader)​

The question from the Nation reveals the fundamental contradiction that we in the Libertarian Socialist Front have always emphasized! Despite its appearance of participation, the Prachathipatai Superapp is a risky step toward the digital consolidation of coordinating power, exactly the opposite path required for true communist liberation. The "centralized interface" and "participation gap" are characteristics of any system, no matter how advanced or democratically supervised, that aims to control interactions across society using a single, top-down platform.

Digital dependency is being created by the massive PDCN resources being devoted to perfecting this "super-interface." It effectively discourages the spontaneous, in-person, and genuinely decentralized forms of association and mutual aid that are the cornerstone of a free society and necessary for the "withering away" of the state by channeling citizen interaction through predetermined digital pathways. It runs the risk of reducing our dynamic network of 75,086 independent Community Assemblies to the status of input points for a central processing unit. Even though DTCT and TACIC are cooperatives, their control over the main channels of communication turns their influence into a de facto technocratic layer.

Through early investment in distributed communication protocols and inter-coop networking software which operate on top of the PDCN framework but are not owned by an individual application, we aim to transcend the Superapp rather than "fixing" it. To enable the polycentric digital economy we must enable worker cooperatives and Community Assemblies to create and deploy their own coordination and communications apps specific to their specific use cases.

Make Superapp an option, maybe for access to universal basic services, but not the exclusive entry point. We prefer to redistribute Superapp optimization funds into open-source development in communes, encouraging peer-to-peer LTE exchange (or experimentation beyond LTE), and investing in both digital and physical assembly infrastructure, such as now in the new Provincial Assembly buildings, which are real places.

Autonomy and diversity, not a neatly organized, centralized virtual space, are the sources of true empowerment. In constructing the stateless, freely associated communist society we envision, the LSF envisions a future in which technology supports direct democracy and free association at the base, actually eliminating administrative barriers by making them obsolete.

FSC.png

By Pannika Wanich (Incumbent Education Minister and Feminist Socialist Coalition’s Leader)​

The Nation's intervention is vital. Although the Prachathipatai Superapp has a lot of potential, if it is not intentionally created and executed from an intersectional feminist perspective, its current version runs the risk of reproducing current disparities, as the PDRI data suggests. Digital skills are probably not the only factor contributing to the "participation gap"; other factors include time, access, and whose involvement is given priority.

When faced with unappreciated care responsibilities, who has the time to fully participate in intricate digital budgeting tools or policy discussions? Are the needs of mothers, caregivers, the elderly, and people with disabilities met by the Superapp's interface? Does the enormous value of reproductive labor, which the FSC consistently promotes, appear in the LTE data it processes? If not, the app runs the risk of stifling the development of a truly inclusive socialist consciousness by elevating the voices of those who are already privileged in the formal economy while marginalizing others.

Another feminist concern is the possible concentration of power within tech cooperatives such as DTCT/TACIC. Do these cooperatives have a diverse workforce? Is there full representation of women and underrepresented groups in algorithmic decision-making and design? Even cooperative structures have the potential to reinforce patriarchal or other biases ingrained in technology design if proactive steps are not taken.

Our suggestions are specific: First, incorporate a "Care Work Module" into the Superapp. This will enable the tokenization and validation of socially necessary reproductive labor (childcare, elder care, and community health support) through community registries, thereby highlighting and appreciating this crucial contribution within the LTE system. Second, make sure accessibility and equity are ingrained in Superapp, not added on as an afterthought, by requiring thorough "Intersectional Impact Assessments" for all features and algorithms. These assessments should be carried out by diverse teams, including representatives from CSJI and women's cooperatives.

Third, PDCN resources should be set aside expressly for creating user interfaces and participation options that are suited to a range of requirements and time constraints. Examples of these include asynchronous participation options, community kiosk support manned by qualified facilitators, and voice-activated input. Fourth, establish support initiatives and quotas to guarantee intersectional and gender diversity within the tech cooperatives themselves.

Technology is not neutral. Only if we intentionally incorporate feminist and intersectional principles into the Superapp's code and functionality will it be a tool for full liberation. It won't be able to fully empower all comrades and remove all obstacles on the way to full communism until then.

DP.png

By Abhisit Vejjajiva, Facilitator of Diverse Perspectives (Leader of the Opposition)​

Although the Nation's worries about digital dependency are reasonable, they ultimately reflect a lack of vision for the revolutionary potential of technology. The Prachathipatai Superapp is establishing the foundation for moving beyond the very administrative frameworks it presently supports, not fostering dependency. The "participation gap" is not a fundamental flaw in the idea; rather, it is a short-term point of friction that can be resolved with focused education and user interface adaptation powered by AI.

Clinging to antiquated ways of thinking about labor and distribution is the true bottleneck, not the technology. We see the Superapp and PDCN as the foundation for a faster transition, rather than as merely tools for administering the existing LTE system. This network's AI integration enables optimization on a scale that quickly eliminates the need for measured labor input entirely.

The focus is missed by worries about the impact of DTCT/TACIC. Their job is to automate administration toward obsolescence, not to keep it going. Their ability to handle complexity is exactly what will liberate humanity from mundane tasks. We should concentrate on encouraging them to expedite the development of AI that can manage resource allocation based on democratically inputted needs (through the Superapp's improved polling/deliberation features) rather than labor tokens through democratic mandates via the Superapp itself.

In areas where automation has drastically decreased the need for labor, we suggest actively utilizing the Superapp to test needs-based distribution models. In order to gradually decouple income from direct labor, implement a "Universal Basic Token" dividend that is managed through the app and financed by the surplus from automated cooperatives (a tangible step towards Stage Six: Post-Scarcity).

Instead of centralizing power, the Superapp is opening the door to a drastically decentralized society where people can pursue higher goals because government functions are transparent and mostly automated. Instead of being afraid of the tool, let's use it bravely to construct the communist future after scarcity. Instead of dismantling our sophisticated tools, the "withering away" (Stage Five) occurs when they are used to render the antiquated economic issues moot.

CP.png

By Nattakorn Devakula, Leader of the Conservative Party​

Under the guise of constructive criticism, the Nation's question runs the risk of casting unjustified doubt on the very instruments that hold out the promise of stability and unparalleled prosperity for our Republic. The PDCN and the Prachathipatai Superapp are not "hindrances"; rather, they are the democratically approved, well-built pillars that support our participatory socialist economy and keep us safe from the chaos that is engulfing capitalist nations like Russia.

A well-established phenomenon that is inherent to any significant social change, particularly one involving cutting-edge technology, is the "participation gap" that the PDRI refers to. It calls for ongoing, focused education campaigns, ongoing user interface improvement, and gradual refinement—exactly the kind of incremental improvement that the Conservative Party supports. It doesn't call for wild speculation about technological control or digital addiction. Our system's strength is its demonstrated capacity to incorporate technology into a strong foundation of democratic governance through the National Assembly, Worker Councils, and Community Assemblies.

The idea that Superapp "centralizes interaction" is untrue. It provides access to decentralized functionalities through a single interface. It makes participation possible, not any less, but more so than sifting through a patchwork of different systems. Several levels of accountability limit the power of cooperatives like DTCT and TACIC: constitutional, legislative (through National Assembly committees), and democratic (through worker councils). Technical implementation, not policy fiat, is their role. The strength of our constituted participatory checks and balances is ignored when it is suggested that they have excessive influence.

It would be impolite to abandon or drastically change such successful frameworks in response to "early observations" or "dependency" concerns. It would jeopardize universal services that millions rely on through the Superapp, disrupt planning coordination, and erode the equity of the LTE. Our goal must be to fully utilize these tools, improve regulatory frameworks, increase digital literacy generally, and keep the Superapp completely responsive to user needs through democratic management and ongoing feedback.

Stability, shared experience, and the assurance that comes from understanding our current socialist system are the paths leading to higher communist phases. The Conservative Party promises that chasing speculative fears won't compromise our revolutionary gains. By improving our tried-and-true digital framework, we hope to create a safe environment where genuine communist awareness can freely develop.

MUP.png

By Supachai Panitchpakdi, Leader of the Marxist Unity Party​

Although the Nation's question suggests the possibility of a paradox, it interprets it incorrectly and exaggeratedly. The Prachathipatai Superapp and PDCN are not coincidental; rather, they are essential high-tech tools for the logical, scientific administration of a modernized socialist economy at this stage of development. They are not obstacles to advancement; rather, they are necessary to overcome the shortcomings of the previous socialist experience and hasten the growth of productive forces in the direction of communism.

A second inequitable development contradiction is the "participation gap," which can be resolved with rigorous education and standardized interfaces. The main purpose of the Superapp is to serve as a mechanism for gathering and analyzing the enormous amounts of economic data needed for efficient cybernetic planning, which is the foundation of our approach. Unlike anarchic decentralization or archaic market mechanisms, it enables the National Economic Planning Board, which is led by the organized proletariat through the Federation of Workers' Councils, to make scientifically optimal decisions on resource allocation. Stage Two (Automation) and Stage Six (Post-Scarcity) are driven by this AI-enabled optimized planning on the PDCN.

If we maintain class perspective, concerns about the "influence" of technical cooperatives such as DTCT/TACIC are unjustified. These kinds of technical cooperatives are tools of the socialist state, carrying out strategic directives decided upon by the proletariat during the planning phase. Political and economic strategists can use their technical expertise. The only thing involved in aligning them is the consolidation of democratic centralism and proletarian control, not the dismantling of the necessary technical apparatus.

Although the Superapp reduces the size of the input and access interface, it allows for more efficient central planning, which is required by science. It is a return to utopian socialism to sacrifice this for "organic, decentralized development," ignoring the necessity of conscious, societal leadership to overcome scarcity and logically reroute labor valuation (LTE) toward need-based distribution.

Based on scientific analysis, the MUP suggests enhancing Superapp’s ability to compile data for planning, where algorithms give priority to maximizing productive output and minimizing labor time needed. We support more robust training programs that cover both application and comprehension of the scientific economic concepts the app enables. This guarantees that technology successfully advances the strategic objectives of the revolution, guiding us through the material stages necessary for Full Communism.

ACF.png

By Jon Ungphakorn, Leader of the Anarcho-Communist Federation​

Is the cage getting too cozy? asks the Nation. "YES!" we exclaim. The new Leviathan, the "participatory" state that runs your life down to the last labor token, is represented digitally by Prachathipatai Superapp! The "participation gap" is a natural exclusion, not a flaw! The 'centralized interface' is the digital panopticon, not a convenience!

Are you concerned about DTCT's "subtle concentration of influence"? The planners, coordinators, algorithm developers, and the entire bureaucratic superstructure that depends on this app to justify its existence and maintain its control are all examples of the obvious concentration of power in the system of which the app is a part. They give you digital bread and circuses while using the term "stages" to perpetually postpone true freedom.

These Superapps, PDCNs, and LTEs are the institutionalized transition, not a means of getting there! They bureaucratize revolution by quantifying your life, directing your interactions, and controlling your needs! Since it is the state in its most subtly intrusive technological form, it stops the 'withering away' (Stage Five)! By making LTE ubiquitous and unavoidable, it prevents post-LTE practices!

How did we respond? Not 'proposals' in its system! Digital disobedience is what we demand! To organize outside of the Superapp's structures, use its communication tools. Create peer-to-peer, encrypted networks outside of the PDCN. Practice the gift economy both online and offline by exchanging resources directly, avoiding the LTE function completely! Hack the system together, rather than in animosity!

Be an actual democracy in your political assemblies and independent affinity groups instead of participating in their digital democracy. As we construct our free lives elsewhere, we turn the Superapp and its databases into deserted ghost towns. Take your information, your focus, and your credibility out of the machine! Only when technology is appropriated by the people for direct, unmediated, free association, not through an app created by the very institutions we need to overthrow, does it liberate everyone. Instead of buffing the digital chains, true communism demands that they be smashed!
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
22,878
Messages
111,688
Members
392
Latest member
lokiman
Top